Wow, I hit my first spring pothole this morning! Bang and my car now drives as if it has a mind of its own, pulling to the left even though I’m steering straight ahead.

Have you ever felt you were being pulled off course after an event occurred in your life? Or maybe it’s so subtle you don’t notice the constant pulling until one day you wake up with a nagging sensation and a screaming voice inside of you telling you something is off and needs to be changed.

This ah-ha moment may generate a feeling of panic. You may become filled with questions about what to do next or how to find the path back to who you are and what you are meant to do in your life. All you know is there is an urgency because what you are experiencing feels awful.

What on earth could create such a feeling? Maybe it’s time to change careers! Maybe you’re ready to shake it up a bit, stretch yourself and grow into the next best version of yourself. You may have known this for a while yet kept pushing it aside.

Does the idea of leaving the comfort of what you know, the familiar, in your current role to move into the unknown stop you dead in your tracks? I get it! I too woke up one morning, in a panic and sweating knowing I wanted to make a change, yet I was paralyzed by the fear of the unknown.

Based on my own journey and the experiences of many of my clients, I want to share with you three key components to build courage and alignment to be able to move past the fear into the next phase of your career.

Discover and connect to your passion. When you are aligned with your passion you will have more energy and focus to pursue the next step. You may have more than one passion and that’s awesome!

Honor your values. When you are clear about who you are and how you choose to live your life, you are able to sort through the many options available to you and select one that will create forward movement for you as a whole person.

Remain open to possibility and keep your mindset positive. By keeping your mind open and in a positive state you are more likely able to see opportunities as they present to you.

Number 3 is by far the most challenging! The state of your mind will bring your results. If you are not satisfied with the result you are getting, take a moment to look in the mirror and shift your energy by focusing on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Yes, focus on what you want! Get yourself fully aligned with what you desire and what you want to experience in the next phase of your career.

What do you want the work in your new role to be focused on?

What type of people would you like to interact with?

What would your most productive work environment look like?

Okay, you get the picture. These are only a few of the dots to help you draw a clear picture of what could be next for you. Knowledge is power and when you know what you want, it helps you avoid the potholes and distractions causing you to drift off your course. As you begin to discover your answers to these questions, let me know where you are in your journey. If you are stuck in the muck of fear and would like to set up a time to chat about what is possible for you, click here to set up a complimentary discovery session with me today.

I was recently chosen to contribute to an article: 11 Ways to Rectify A Hiring Mistake

Tip #10: Learn from the experience

Remember, there’s no shame when a job isn’t a good fit for someone. It doesn’t mean they’re faulty or broken. It simply means the two pieces of the puzzle don’t go smoothly together. Learn from the experience and ask yourself, “What can I do differently to create a better result next time?” – Kris McCrea, PCC, McCreaCoaching.com